Confluence officials find no alcohol to verify allegations

CONFLUENCE - Confluence Mayor W. James Boyle said Tuesday that there is no alcohol on the premise at a local convenience store and gas station.

"Last month we had eight or nine people here saying that they were concerned that the owner was giving away free beer with a promotion at the store," he said of the Hall's Market located along Oden Street in Confluence Borough.

The market, gas station and laundrymat is owned by Mark Volk.

After hearing of the concerns, the borough council members wrote letters to many of the local officials and also the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) and Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

The state police bureau is fully funded by the PLCB.

"They were here because they were concerned with alcoholic beverages given away with (the purchase) of some of their products," he said. "I don't know the exact set-up that it was."

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Boyle recalled allegations that the store owner and employees were giving away beer with customers' purchases.

"It was some kind of promotion for free beer," he said. "We wrote letters in to local congressmen, the Liquor Control Board and the response was that the state police came in and sent a couple officers down (to investigate)."

His comment came after receiving word from the state police telling him and borough council members of their investigation.

Boyle said Tuesday that the establishment does not have a liquor license and the officers actually visited the site on two occasions.

"I don't know all of the ins and outs, but they (officers) went in there (a second time)," he said. "They had been there previously on an earlier complaint."

He added that the recent concerns sparked a second visit.

"With the other letters (that were recently written), they went in there again," he said. "Last week, they apparently went in there again and said that there were no alcoholic beverages on the premise."

Boyle said there could have been alcohol on the premise, but now the site has none according to the report.

"To alleviate any suspicion whatsoever, they suggested that he remove it and he probably did," Boyle said.

He added that he was unaware of any charges being filed or any fines being handed out in the matter.

Boyle said although the establishment has been a fixture in the community for years, it recently came under new ownership within the last year or so when Mark Volk took over the business.

Boyle said that the complaints from area residents at the previous meeting was the first time he had heard of the allegations.

He added that the borough council members plan to send the concerned residents each a letter detailing the findings in the coming days.

"(State Sen. Richard) Kasunic called me and said he would write a letter to the LCB showing his concern," said borough council president John Tressler. "Did they ever say that it was illegal or legal?"

Boyle said that it was clearly illegal for an establishment to distribute alcohol without a license.

Borough council secretary Linda Johns read aloud a letter sent from State Rep. Bob Bastian.

"In response to your concern, this office contacted the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. (They) informed this office that it is conducting an investigation and is attempting to contact you to discuss this matter," she said.

According to Tressler, he wants the residents to also receive copies of the correspondence.

"It wouldn't hurt to send a copy of that letter to them saying that we have done something about it and this was the response that we got," he said.

Volk, who has an unlisted telephone number, was not available for comment at his market. Messages left at his establishment were not returned as of 11 p.m. Tuesday for comment.